10 comments
  1. The project feels a little rushed. Visually it pretty barebones, and at times there are typos. However, I really enjoy the basic story because it’s such a relatable experience. I got the best ending in the game, which still feels kind of like a failure because they’re still so much left to do.

  2. I agree that the project feels a bit rushed. The default visuals didn’t really contribute anything to the story. Even a simple change in font and color choices could have really helped set the tone of the story. Because you’re examining the idea of being an illegal alien and not knowing any of the language and customs of the country you are in, I feel like you could have pushed this idea further. Right now the tone of the piece and the decisions you make feel somewhat standard of the choose-your-own-adventure genre. I wish you had been a bit more experimental in how you chose to portray the character’s thoughts or the interactions with the world around them. I wish there was a bigger sense of confusion in the piece, since right now the narration is very straightforward and I didn’t get the sense that the character was feeling confused and lost.

  3. – basic structure of the story is there: starting the day over, lack of understanding, the barriers you face, etc. but there just isn’t much content for me to chew on
    – ending isn’t satisfying–don’t explain what I got, show it to me

  4. The game has a lot of potential because it can be so relatable. Whether you have been to a foreign country or not, I think that everyone’s been in the situation of feeling awkward/uncomfortable in an unfamiliar environment. Like others have said previously, perhaps you could have pushed this idea in more creative ways. There are tons of feelings and situations you could have used for even more content.

  5. The game instantly attract me in the first page. The goal is clear and intriguing. I really have fun when wondering what is my best choice. The game can be more interesting by adding more meaningful situation players need to handle with and some dramatic changes.

  6. The topic here is timely, though I didn’t find it an explicit comment on the world refugee events that are happening right now. However that is something to consider, as I think it would be easy for a player to find meaning in that direction. I found the ending comment to be distracting, as I doubt there would be a narrator telling me I did a good or bad job that day if I was in that situation. I was most intrigued by the language barrier section. To drive that point home, you come present me with the baker’s dialogue as something I totally won’t understand (like random letters and numbers.) Simply telling me I won’t understand adds a level of depression and while I feel tension and urgency from the game’s use of language, I don’t feel depressed.

  7. A sobering approach to life in a new land, something that I’ve never experienced at this miserable level. i empathize for our main character when I recall an experience I had when looking for colleges. I had come to fence the D1 fencers at penn state but hadn’t washed my hair in the shower the night before. After a hard day of battle it was revolting and my dad made me wash it in the bathroom sink with hand soap before I had my interview. That desperation carries through every step of the way in this tale. Harrowing and upsetting it reminds us how truly blessed we are

  8. I’m not sure if this was your intention, but the of way being an illegal alien was presented makes it seem more like a comedic adventure than a tale of human hardship. Playing this game feels as though “stealing coffee” is a fun and exciting endeavor in the same way a impish child would think it is funny to steal a teacher’s chalk board eraser, simply for the sake of undermining authority. Of course, there’s nothing really wrong with this, as it really is a positive take on an otherwise difficult life.

  9. Cool concept, I’m always a big fan of using games to help with empathy. However, the game didn’t seem very difficult. It told you it’d be hard to spend money in the story, but there were no consequences for spending money, and it didn’t seem to keep track of any kind of currency. There also didn’t seem to be any consequences for anything you did, besides a few awkward looks. The title is Illegal Alien, but I was never afraid of being deported.

    I liked having to answer a question without knowing what it is, perfectly using the game mechanic of an uncertain decision to explore these people’s lives.

  10. I thought the game was a bit contrived… The situations were realistic enough but the ending seemed rushed and a bit unsatisfactory. In all I appreciated the effort to lend an experience to students in our position. I think it was a great idea and focusing on the banal aspects of everyday life was good too.

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